Apparatus and method for setting teaching data, teaching data providing system over network

1. A teaching data setting apparatus for setting teaching data required for image processing associated with mounting electronics, comprising: a subject teaching data generating section operable to store in advance subject attributes related to a subject to be mounted and recognition operation conditions required for the image processing, and operable to generate a plurality of pieces of teaching data representing all possible combinations of the subject attributes and the recognition operation conditions; a teaching data candidate selecting section operable to select, from the plurality of pieces of teaching data generated by the subject teaching data generating section, teaching data candidates related to the subject and a mounting machine for use; a subject image input section operable to be supplied with a simple subject image representing only the subject; an evaluation image generating section operable to generate a plurality of predetermined evaluation images required for determining optimum teaching data for the subject by using one simple subject image supplied to the subject image input section; and a teaching data determining section operable to determine, based on the plurality of evaluation images generated by the evaluation image generating section, a piece of teaching data as the optimum teaching data for the subject out of the teaching data candidates selected by the teaching data candidate selecting section.

2. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the subject is an electronic component, and the subject attributes include a shape of the electronic component.

3. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation image generating section is operable to generate the plurality of said evaluation images by carrying out, for the simple subject image supplied to the subject image input section, image processing in consideration of possible shot-image variations that will occur in the image processing associated with mounting electronics.

4. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image processing, in consideration of possible shot-image variations carried out by the evaluation image generating section, includes at least shading processing in consideration of a possible tilt of the subject in the image processing associated with mounting electronics.

5. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image processing, in consideration of possible shot-image variations carried out by the evaluation image generating section, includes at least random noise processing in consideration of possible noise that will occur in an image shot by an image-shooting machine in the image processing associated with mounting electronics.

6. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image processing, in consideration of possible shot-image variations carried out by the evaluation image generating section, includes at least contrast processing in consideration of possible lighting variations that will occur in the image processing associated with mounting electronics.

7. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recognition operation conditions include at least a recognition algorithm required for the image processing associated with mounting electronics, the teaching data determining section is operable to determine the optimum teaching data for the subject by evaluating results obtained by carrying out image recognition onto the evaluation images generated by the evaluation image generating section based on the recognition algorithm included in each of the teaching data candidates selected by the teaching data candidate selecting section.

8. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the subject image input section is supplied with a plurality of simple subject images generated based on a recommended lighting intensity as to a lighting condition included in the recognition operation conditions and lighting levels obtained by increasing and decreasing the recommended lighting intensity within a predetermined range, the evaluation image generating section is operable to generate the plurality of said evaluation images by performing image processing in consideration of possible shot-image variations that will occur in the image processing associated with mounting electronics onto the plurality of simple subject images supplied to the subject image input section, and the teaching data determining section is operable to extract evaluation images corresponding to the teaching data candidates selected by the teaching data candidate selecting section from the evaluation images generated by the evaluation image generating section, and determine the optimum teaching data for the subject by evaluating the results obtained by carrying out image recognition onto the extracted evaluation images based on the recognition algorithm included in each of the corresponding teaching data candidates.

9. The teaching data setting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recognition operation conditions include at least a recognition algorithm required for the image processing associated with mounting electronics, the subject teaching data generating section is operable to generate the plurality of pieces of teaching data by deleting, from among all possible combinations of the subject attributes and the recognition operation conditions, a combination including a recognition algorithm irrelevant to the subject.

10. A teaching data providing system for providing teaching data required for image processing associated with mounting electronics to one or more specific machines over a network connecting a service provider side and a service user side, the service provider side comprising: a subject teaching data generating section operable to store in advance subject attributes related to a subject to be mounted and recognition operation conditions required for the image processing, and operable to generate a plurality of pieces of teaching data representing all possible combinations of the subject attributes and the recognition operation conditions; a teaching data candidate selecting section operable to select, from the plurality of pieces of teaching data generated by the subject teaching data generating section, teaching data candidates related to the subject and a mounting machine for use; a subject image input section operable to be supplied with a simple subject image representing only the subject; an evaluation image generating section operable to generate a plurality of predetermined evaluation images required for determining optimum teaching data for the subject by using one simple subject image supplied to the subject image input section; a teaching data determining section operable to determine, based on the plurality of evaluation images generated by the evaluation image generating section, a piece of teaching data as the optimum teaching data for the subject out of the teaching data candidates selected by the teaching data candidate selecting section; and a delivering section operable to electronically deliver the optimum teaching data determined by the teaching data determining section to the one or more specific machines, wherein the service user side comprises the one or more specific machines that perform the image processing associated with mounting electronics by using the optimum teaching data delivered from the delivering section.

11. A teaching data providing system for providing teaching data required for image processing associated with mounting electronics to one or more specific machines over a network connecting a service provider side and a service user side, the service provider side comprising: a subject teaching data generating section operable to store in advance subject attributes related to a subject to be mounted and recognition operation conditions required for the image processing, and operable to generate a plurality of pieces of teaching data representing all possible combinations of the subject attributes and the recognition operation conditions; a teaching data candidate selecting section operable to select, from the plurality of pieces of teaching data generated by the subject teaching data generating section, teaching data candidates related to the subject and a mounting machine for use; a subject image input section operable to be supplied with a simple subject image representing only the subject; an evaluation image generating section operable to generate a plurality of predetermined evaluation images required for determining optimum teaching data for the subject by using one simple subject image supplied to the subject image input section; and a teaching data determining section operable to determine, based on the plurality of evaluation images generated by the evaluation image generating section, a piece of teaching data as the optimum teaching data for the subject out of the teaching data candidates selected by the teaching data candidate selecting section, and the service user side comprising: a delivering section operable to obtain the optimum teaching data determined by the teaching data determining section, and electronically deliver the optimum teaching data determined by the teaching data determining section to the one or more specific machines; and the one or more specific machines operable to perform the image processing associated with mounting electronics by using the optimum teaching data delivered from the delivering section.

12. A teaching data providing system for providing teaching data required for image processing associated with mounting electronics to one or more specific machines over a network connecting a service provider side and a service user side, the service provider side comprising a subject teaching data generating section operable to store in advance subject attributes related to a subject to be mounted and recognition operation conditions required for the image processing, and operable to generate a plurality of pieces of teaching data representing all possible combinations of the subject attributes and the recognition operation conditions, and the service user side comprising: a teaching data candidate selecting section operable to obtain the plurality of pieces of teaching data generated by the subject teaching data generating section, and selects, from the plurality of pieces of teaching data, teaching data candidates related to the subject and a mounting machine for use; a subject image input section operable to be supplied with a simple subject image representing only the subject; an evaluation image generating section operable to generate a plurality of predetermined evaluation images required for determining optimum teaching data for the subject by using one simple subject image supplied to the subject image input section; a teaching data determining section operable to determine, based on the plurality of evaluation images generated by the evaluation image generating section, a piece of teaching data as the optimum teaching data for the subject out of the teaching data candidates selected by the teaching data candidate selecting section; a delivering section operable to obtain the optimum teaching data determined by the teaching data determining section, and electronically deliver the optimum teaching data determined by the teaching data determining section to the one or more specific machines; and the one or more specific machines operable to perform the image processing associated with mounting electronics by using the optimum teaching data delivered from the delivering section.

13. A teaching data setting method for setting optimum teaching data required for image processing associated with mounting electronics, comprising: generating, by using subject attributes related to a subject to be mounted and recognition operation conditions required for the image processing stored in advance, a plurality of pieces of teaching data representing all possible combinations of the subject attributes and the recognition operation conditions; selecting, from the generated plurality of pieces of teaching data, teaching data candidates related to the subject and a mounting machine for use; supplying a simple subject image representing only the subject; generating a plurality of predetermined evaluation images required for determining optimum teaching data for the subject by using one supplied simple subject image; and determining, based on the plurality of generated evaluation images, a piece of teaching data as the optimum teaching data for the subject out of the selected teaching data candidates.

14. The teaching data setting method according to claim 13 , wherein the recognition operation conditions include at least a recognition algorithm required for the image processing associated with mounting electronics, the image supplying step supplies a plurality of simple subject images generated based on a recommended lighting intensity as to a lighting condition included in the recognition operation conditions and lighting levels obtained by increasing and decreasing the recommended lighting intensity within a predetermined range, the evaluation image generating step generates the plurality of evaluation images by performing image processing in consideration of possible shot-image variations that will occur in the image processing associated with mounting electronics onto the plurality of said simple subject images supplied in the image supplying step, and the teaching data determining step extracts evaluation images corresponding to the teaching data candidates selected in the teaching data candidate selecting step from the evaluation images generated in the evaluation image generating step, and determines the optimum teaching data for the subject by evaluating the results obtained by carrying out image recognition onto the extracted evaluation images based on the recognition algorithm included in each of the corresponding teaching data candidates.

15. The teaching data setting method according to claim 13 , wherein the teaching data required for the image processing associated with mounting electronics is provided to one or more specific machines over a network connecting a service provider side and a service user side, the teaching data generating step, the teaching data candidate selecting step, the evaluation image generating step, the image supplying step, and the teaching data determining step are carried out by the service provider side, and the method further comprises: a step, to be carried out by the service provider side, of electronically delivering the optimum teaching data determined in the teaching data determining step to the one or more specific machines; and a step, to be carried out by the one or more specific machines included on the service user side, of performing the image processing associated with mounting electronics by using the optimum teaching data delivered by the service provider side.

16. The teaching data setting method according to claim 13 , wherein the teaching data required for the image processing associated with mounting electronics is provided to one or more specific machines over a network connecting a service provider side and a service user side, the teaching data generating step, the teaching data candidate selecting step, the evaluation image generating step, the image supplying step, and the teaching data determining step are carried out by the service provider side, and the method further comprises: a step, to be carried out by the service user side, of obtaining the optimum teaching data determined in the teaching data determining step, and electronically delivering the optimum teaching data to the one or more specific machines; and a step, to be carried out by the one or more specific machines included in the service user side, of performing the image processing associated with mounting electronics by using the optimum teaching data delivered in the electronically delivering step.

17. The teaching data setting method according to claim 13 , wherein when the teaching data required for the image processing associated with mounting electronics is provided to one or more specific machines over a network connecting a service provider side and a service user side, the teaching data generating step is carried out by the service provider side, the teaching data candidate selecting step, the evaluation image generating step, the image supplying step, and the teaching data determining step are carried out by the service user side, and the method further comprises: a step, to be carried out by the service user side, of electronically delivering the optimum teaching data determined in the teaching data determining step to the one or more specific machines; and a step, to be carried out by the one or more specific machines included in the service user side, of performing the image processing associated with mounting electronics by using the optimum teaching data delivered in the electronically delivering step.